Fragments of Broken Glass
by 4200LittleBunny2
Summary: At a small café, a poor waitress and a rich businessman meet. Len X Rin.
1. Mandarin Orange Tart

In a tugged away corner, several alleyways away from the main shopping area, a young woman approached a small café. Turquoise paint was chipping off its outer walls... and the inside decoration wasn't much better, she supposed. Faded wallpaper, scratched tables and worn-out chairs were what greeted her when she opened the heavy doors. There was no denying that this place was old, out-dated and lived-out… And from the corners of her lips, a loving smile formed.

Her feet carefully thread onto the creaking wooden floor in a familiar dance that only she knew the right steps to. Her fingers reached out to the soft curtains - moving them aside to welcome the hesitant morning light in. Fresh air entered through the large windows, breathing away the musky smell of the night and starting the day anew. She loved that scent most of all.

"Good morning, Rin."

"Oh, good morning!" The waitress avoided three bad boards back to the kitchen like a game of skip, before filling the coffee maker for her first customer. Black, no sugar – she didn't need to ask.

"I'll take a slice of cake with it today," the man deliberately leaned over the counter as they both listened to the brewing pot working its magic. It had become such a morning routine, Rin did not bat an eye – he is always conscious about his height around her, leaning or sitting down whenever they chatted. Probably because he is 6'4… quite a difference from her own 5'3. Not that she was in any way or form intimidated by her favorite customer.

"Really? Congrats, Al!" The waitress happily grabbed a plate and sliced down an extra large piece. Their baked products aren't exactly fresh; being delivered in the evening reduces costs, but they taste decent. "I know you only celebrate when you manage to find something steady."

"Two months for sure, maybe three," the man grinned at her and her own smile faltered when she was able to have a good close look at him. The plate hit the counter louder than she had intended.

"It's at the docks again?" Rin accused the heavy eye bags on his face, pointing them out disapprovingly. "…You promised to find something less dangerous. Those night-shifts are awful."

"Nothing goes past you does it?" The man laughed it off, seemingly light-hearted about it. But he did not meet her gaze… "Don't even worry about it. I'm in a different position this time." There was a hint of urgency to close the topic when he continued in a more serious manner. "So, how are you holding up, kid? Didn't see you last week… Your boss said you were sick. Will you be able to pay this month's rent with the hours you've been working?"

The blonde's eyebrows knitted together at the diversion of the conversation. "I'll manage," she passively replied. The coffee maker was ready to go, so she pulled up a cup and filled it to the brim.

"How are you planning to do that? By living on stale cake and cold coffee again?" he insisted.

On cue, the waitress sent the freshly made morning brew to slide across the counter.

"Hey…" Rin met Al's honey-colored brown irises reluctantly and saw the sincere concern shining in them through his fatigue. "I'm here when you need me, okay?" his voice was softer, less lecturing. She paused her moment of stubbornness when she could see the weight behind those words. This wasn't a hollow promise, but a genuine offer… and that made her heart sink to her stomach. "I…"

Oh no… The man who kindly smiled at her owns two shirts and one pair of jagged jeans. That person takes risky night-jobs to send money to the daughter he had lost custody of years ago. And that sweet man bought her a pastry when he learned her birthday, on the same day he lost his housing arrangement.

Rin patted his shoulder and turned around without answering. She did not trust her own voice and started to sweep the floor behind the counter to distract herself from the lump in her throat. He did not force her reply, which she was grateful for and she managed to clear out any any stray leaves that were blown through the gaps of the wood last night.

The café, though dishevelled, was a place of happiness… and she truly loved her job. She loved the people that visited her in this small island floating peacefully in the big sea of touristy competition. While there had been customers whom walked in by accident and were never seen again, she was happy to discover that most of them found themselves right at home. What did it matter to her that the regulars sipped brand-less coffee for hours on end, if she could spend that time learning about their lives? Stories that shaped their current position in society were often molded out of sadness and regret. Struggling finances, juggling addictions, the devastating loss of loved ones... If there was one thing they all had in common, it had to be their loneliness.

Birds of a feather, she supposed.

While she finished her morning routine, three customers had come in and left. Al was snoring quietly against the counter and Rin would have giggled at the rare sight, if her concern for him did not whisper awful scenarios in her ear. She really wished him the best and the work he forces himself to do drains him mentally and physically. The waitress took the empty mug and plate from his sleeping form and was just pouring a cup for herself, when she heard the door of the café open widely once more.

"Hi, can I get you anything? " she turned around and met a pair of shiny sunglasses. "…Sir." In surprise, she blinked twice at herself, not a speck of dust in its mirrored reflection. The frame looked expensive. Her eyes travelled from the man's light grey colbert resting upon a matching waistcoat and a clean white – no, crėme-colored blouse. They then lowered towards a pair of fitted dress pants, to finally rest upon perfectly polished leather shoes.

Sweat immediately ran down her back as the absurd reality struck her. The interior of her beloved but disorderly café was a stark contrast to this aura of…. a loaded piggybank. Her first instinct was to ask if the man made a wrong turn somewhere, but no, he didn't seem lost. His stance was too confident for that. And that may just be rude to ask. Was it rude? It wouldn't be if she were to go to a fancy restaurant in her coffee-stained work clothes, now would it? And what other reason could this man possibly have for –

She sneaked a small intake of breath, taking a guarded glance at the sleeping Al, her heart dropping to the floor. Was this someone from the federal department, or a loan shark on a personal visitation? Crap… Did that fancy colbert of his include a gun-shaped pocket?

She flinched back when the stranger reached out his hand, her heart jumping in her chest. "Just a black coffee." It took her way too long to realize that he meant the cup she had just poured in. Rin carefully slid it towards him as if it was part of a silent negotiation.

The man took it and bent down to look at the handful of pastries left in the display. It was amazing how at ease he seemed. A surprise health inspector then maybe? That thought was a lot less scary than the illegal occupations she was imagining. Now that the waitress breathed away her initial shock, she was able to see past the man's tailored clothing. And suddenly she realized that they were around the same age. The strands of sunny blonde hair that fell in front of his sunglasses and the long eyelashes that peeked just behind them... she found herself staring blankly at them.

"And one of these, please."  
Rin followed the line of his finger as he pointed out a small mandarin orange tart in the back. The crispy pastry crust filled with orange custard was only seasonally delivered and quickly sold out whenever they had it. She felt a pinch in her chest when he picked out that one in particular.

"Take a seat," she heard herself say. "…I will bring it to you shortly."

The young man obeyed her suggestion and the waitress moved to grab a plate, before hesitating. Innocently and delicious, the small mandarin tart stared back at her, eagerly waiting to be eaten by its customer. And as if it could comfort her, Rin made an attempt to mentally communicate her feelings of utter loss by practicing the words she needed to say the most… a proper goodbye.

Wrapping these feelings up in a carton package, it met the wealthy man at the table. And when he lifted his head up to her, his lips just barely parting in confusion, she replied by staring him down.

Endless long seconds stretched between them… a poor waitress and the rich businessman. Society couldn't place them further apart from each other and yet, they were here together.

"…Ah, you caught me a little sooner than I was hoping for," he nervously laughed. "I was trying to find the courage to dramatically surprise you." With one swift movement, the young man removed his sunglasses to reveal piercing blue eyes and Rin's heart involuntarily skipped a beat. Everything else about him – his height, his deepened voice, his clothes, his hairstyle – it had all changed… but those eyes were exactly as Rin remembered him. Painful nostalgia brought back feelings she had suppressed and buried years ago… and it hurt more than she was willing to admit.

"And what kind of reaction were you expecting from me, Len?" she asked coolly.

"…Haah, to be honest, this whole thing sounded a lot better in my head." He seemed embarrassed, rubbing his neck for a moment. "…But it's really good to see you, Rin." There was a hint of sadness reflecting in his eyes when he smiled warmly at her. "Short hair suits you."

She resisted tugging on her hair, but couldn't keep her eyebrows from furrowing nonetheless. It was cut uneven. It wasn't as bad as when she first started cutting her own hair, but still. Wait, it didn't matter whether he was genuinely complimenting her, or openly laughing at her feeble attempts… she would not get sidetracked. "And the cake?" she asked.

"A small bribe," Len smiled sheepishly. "If… it's still your favorite, at least?" he hesitantly added.

Rin's eyelashes lowered and a huffed sigh fell from her lips. Her fingers lifted the cup of coffee that was originally hers, swallowing the bitter drink in one go. "The cake is on me," she told him as she met his awe-struck expression. "It was nice of you to stop by. Maybe we can do this again in seven years? Just make sure we have absolutely zero contact until then. Wouldn't want to break tradition."

"Ouch, I did deserve that," Len mumbled. "But if you could let me explain why –"

The waitress shushed him with just the raise of her finger. "It doesn't matter." She took the saucer from him, along with the cup. "We're past promises and apologies. You can save your dignity, take the cake as a consolation price, walk straight for the door and out of my life." Stepping away from the table, she gave him her best service smile. "You know the way."

"Wait - Rin!"

Sharp and abrupt was the sound of shattering ceramics by her feet. The strong grip on her sleeve that pulled her back made her stumble for balance and a surprised yelp escaped her lips, her fingers latching unto the first thing they could grab unto. She gasped into the collarbone of Len and along with the shock of their changed heights, the familiar scent of him made her head spin. The sound of her own heartbeart distracted her, yet she heard him inhale that small breath right next to her ear and felt his hands glide across the small of her back.

Everything that happened after was as if time had slowed down.

She blinked once when Len's frame moved through the air, as easily as the golden leaves she had swiped out before. Sound returned to her ears once his back made harsh contact with the table, the crash almost deafening in response. Frozen in place, only her bangs moved with the gust of wind that followed, her fingers still trying to latch unto something.

"_You son of a bitch!_" Al's face was distorted into anger, his usual kind brown eyes seething. Len was nearly wheezing… the hit had surely taken all the air out of his lungs. "Who do you think you're messing with, huh!? You think you can get away with that kind of crap!? Not on my watch, dirtbag!" The man easily towered over him with his height and build, pinning him against the table.

Len's hand clutched at his chest, looking pained. "Not… that it's – any of your… business," he shakily breathed through the syllables. "But… she just lost… her balance."

"Lost her balance!? Your hands were all over her, asshole!" the older man bit back vigorously.

"Al," the name left Rin's throat in a small whisper and it drowned away in the commotion.

"Now get up!" he bellowed, before releasing his grip on his blouse. "I'll show you a thing or two what happens to scum like you!" When Al pulled his arm back - his fingers clenched into a threatening fist - Rin flew towards her customer and dear friend. Pale and shaken, but determined to put an end to this before anyone got seriously hurt, she used her entire dead weight to grab both his arm and his attention.

"That's – that's enough!" she sternly told him despite the quiver in her voice.

The large man stiffened when seeing her expression and the intense look on his face distinguished immediately. "…" He carefully lowered his arm, allowing her toes to touch the floor once again.

Len took this time to roll off the table, hissing only lightly at the pain. He was glaring sharpened knives and pointy daggers at Al, but didn't seem to have the strength to do anything else.

Rin exhaled a shaky breath. "You need to leave, Al. You know the rules. No violence… no exceptions."

Those brown eyes flickered with guilt and sorrow. It was a very sad expression.

"Len, you too." The adolescent's face turned toward hers, startled round orbs of blue searched her gaze, which she averted to the floor. The sad sight of the crushed cake, spilling out of the carton box was one that reflected this entire situation. Everything was just messy now. "Both of you, please leave."

While Len shifted his weight and seemed to want to approach her, Al's large hand wrapped around his upper arm, making him flinch. "…Sorry," was the single, broken word that left the large man's throat, making Len stutter the beginning of a sentence as he got dragged out of the door.

Hesitantly, the waitress lingered in the doorway. She knew that Al was trying to protect her, but it had frightened her nonetheless. And would Len really be okay? She couldn't help but wonder this as they disappeared out of sight.

It took her a while before she found the strength to move back inside and started to collect the pieces of the shattered mug. One glance made it obvious that it could not be mended.

Much like broken hearts, she assumed.


	2. Silver Key

The keys were already in her hand when the tired waitress neared the front porch of her rental. The house itself was pretty old; she supposed it had been a loving family home once, now divided up between six people. They had to share a living room, kitchen and a single bathroom, but as far as privacy goes, their individual rooms had sturdy locks at least. Her own room – the attic – leaks with every other rainfall and without any insulation, that place was pretty drafty and moldy. Winters were never particularly fun. Yet at the same time, Rin was convinced she had the very best room in the house. Not only did she pay less rent, but the roof window gave her a clear view of the sky. Ever-shifting and ever-changing; she watched the clouds during the day and the stars during the night. It rarely failed to comfort her, even during her worst days.

So she was quite looking forward to kick off her shoes and dive straight into bed on this exhausting one. There, she could peacefully watch the bright colors of the sunset disappear behind the horizon… before shutting her eyes herself.

"Rin, thank heavens you're here!" a panicked voice called out when she had just shut the front door behind her. Wearing a dirtied apron and carrying a wooden spoon in her hand, a girl with long wavy blonde hair jumped up and down in impatience. Rin's heart dropped at the burning smell that entered her nostrils. "Please help! I think I've been doing something wrong?"

"Wait, are you-?" The question barely formed on her lips when her housemate disappeared out of sight. Rin threw her knitted poncho at the coat rack and followed along. There was smoke trailing through the hallway and a crackling sound that honestly scared the death out of her. When the blonde turned into the kitchen, she expected to see it up in flames. Instead, she was met with a wall of black smoke. Rin's hand shot forward at the source of it – a pot hissing violently – turning off the stove. Thankfully, there had been no fire, so it was safe to open the window and allow oxygen back into the kitchen. It took the longest time to clear the air and breathe that sigh of relief. The sun had already set when she finally shut the kitchen window.

"Siyu…" she turned towards to the girl. "What happened the last time you were cooking?" Rin imposed.

The girl's small frame tensed and she seemed to hesitate in replying. "I made toast?" she tried, fluttering her curled eyelashes. Rin's indifferent expression and stern gaze made Siyu bite her lip, pouting. It would have surely swayed her fans, yet a simple waitress was unaffected by its cuteness.

"Okay, I burned the toast," the girl admitted. "…And those ugly curtains. But I learned that baking sheets don't need to be baked at least?" She folded her fingers into each other, her fresh manicure sparkling as she raised her hands as in a prayer. "Oh c'mon Rin, please don't tell Yuuma about this!" she pleaded. "He said he'd kick me out the next time the fire department is called… and he looked so serious about it too."

The waitress risked a glance at the contains of the pot; raw chicken, black vegetables and no oil stared back at her from the abyss. She frowned, sighing in defeat. "There's no way to save that pan. If you don't want him to find out, throw it out tonight and replace it first thing tomorrow."

The young girl nodded vigorously in agreement, spluttering out her words of gratitude.

"But why were you cooking by yourself?" Rin wondered out loud as she cooled the pan in a bath of cold water, so that they could toss it in a garbage bag before anyone would see it. "Anon has been teaching you how to use the stove and oven, right? You two are always prepping your meals together."

Her long, wavy hair fell over her shoulder as the girl leaned her cheek against her hand. "You know the twins start their new show tomorrow, right? They're practicing long hours and don't have time to cook their own meals, so they're mostly living off bread. And they do like their bread, but I want them to eat a warm… well, microwaved… homemade meal before their show tomorrow. To do something back for all the cooking lessons Anon gave me. And wish them luck." Her housemate then paused and a small breath fell from her lips. "But I guess I ruined it."

Siyu's gaze roamed across the kitchen and Rin's followed; from the wrappings of packages that were lying on the floor, to the dirtied spoons, stacked plates and cutting boards spread across the counter, its cut up ingredients _everywhere_…

The girl seemed so deflated in that moment, Rin felt the need to lightly pinch her cheek. Large eyes looked up to her and she answered her with a kind smile. "Come now, let's start over."

"…What?" Siyu blinked at her. "You'll help me?"

The waitress lifted her sleeves and grabbed a cloth, rinsing it with warm water and squeezing the excess out. "Do you have anymore ingredients left?"

That startled the girl out of her timid state. "Just a handful of mushrooms, some leftover chicken, a couple of carrots and a bunch of potatoes," Siyu replied, turning to the fridge to grab them.

"That would be perfect," Rin cleared and started cleaning the counter so that they'd have space to work with. "Don't worry about the dishes and floor for now; we'll clean those up later. Wash the vegetables for now and we'll start cutting them up into bite-size bits. Do you know how to hold your fingers while cutting something?" she asked.

"Yes," her housemate replied with newfound enthusiasm. "Like claws!"

"Great!" Rin smiled, reaching into her own stash where she had an instant curry package and a small amount of rice left. It would be enough, but she'd have to figure out what to eat the rest of the week. Nothing to be done about that change in her meal plan.

Together, they started over from scratch. Siyu had prepared the vegetables – she was surprisingly good with a knife – and Rin started to explain in which order the ingredients needed to be cooked. It wasn't long before the kitchen started smelling delicious and she hoped it would mask the lingering scent of smoke. When they only needed the occasional stir within the boiling water, they took turns cleaning up the mess in the kitchen. While mopping, Siyu started humming and Rin couldn't help but smile at that, taking it as a sign that the girl regained her confidence.

"That's your new song, isn't it? 'Dream 'n Big?'" the waitress asked, grabbing the next pile of dishes to place in the soapy water.

"You listened to it?!" she gasped excitedly.

Perhaps her talent didn't extend to the kitchen, but there was no denying that 'SEEU' is a great singer and song-writer. While the road to fame is always bulky, Rin was convinced that her housemate has what it takes to break through one day. And wishing for her success along with her was a growing following of dedicated fans.

"I'm so happy to hear that!" Siyu's smile was bright and warm, reaching all the way to her eyes. Not long after, her humming turned into lyrics, singing her song loudly in the stage that was their small kitchen. Even without instrumentals to back her up, it was breathtaking to listen to such raw talent. Rin couldn't stop smiling up till the song's end. And as if it hadn't wanted to interrupt, the rice cooker started beeping after that final note.

"Alright!" Siyu announced, all energized and bouncy. "We're almost done, so I'll throw this out now," she said as she grabbed a garbage bag to cover the ruined pan with. "Can you do me one last favour and reach for my backpack? I bought a couple of lunch boxes today," the girl grinned.

"Not a problem!" Rin responded right away, her housemate's clear enthusiasm rubbing off on her. Siyu left the kitchen first and Rin finished placing the sparkly-clean dishes back in the cabinets. She found the green backpack in the living room, on top of the dining table. Just when she opened the zipper, the front door opened. Rin couldn't help but chuckle at the tiny elephants and lions splattered across the see-through lunch boxes. A perfect match to Siyu's bright personality. So when she caught a silhouette from out the corner of her eye, it was the perfect opportunity tease the girl.

"You sure know how to pick out cute things," Rin said as she rezipped the bag. Her housemate seemed to pause for a moment there.

"Oh? Are you complimenting yourself now?"

Rin tensed at the unexpectedly low voice that answered her; one she recognized without needing to look up. She felt eyes watching her as she kept hers low. The tall figure unzipped his hooded vest, throwing the piece of fabric carelessly at the couch, instead of the very functional clothing rack they had stored in the hallway… that he'd just passed. She almost frowned when he approached the dining table in a long stride, eyeing the piece of silver around his neck that shimmered against his contrasting black tank top.

"How lucky I am," he announced. "It seems the princess isn't hiding away in her tower tonight."

Rin subconsciously placed the backpack in front of her. "Yuuma, good evening… How are you doing?" she exchanged the pleasantries with a smile.

"Well, let's see… I've been trying to get a hold of you for a couple of days now, but you manage to slip past me every time." When he placed his hands against the table that separated them and leaned in, that key had the freedom to twirl freely between them. "Almost seems intentional, y'know?"

"Haha, no way that's true," her tone was light as she said this, but she kept her eyes down. "Rent isn't due until next week."

He moved back at her statement, his fingertips alone retaining contact with the dining table. "Which is four days, actually," he was keen to remind her. His fingers trailed the grains of the wood as he took slow steps around the oval table. "But if you want to settle it right away…" he opted, slowly approaching her. "I'll make it worth your time."

Rin took her own deliberate steps in the opposite direction and carefully picked up the lunch boxes to justify this game of ring-around-the-rosey. "No thank you," she politely declined.

The youth laughed and combed his hand through his pale red hair, messing up the wild strands.

"Ah well, there will always be a next time." He stated it so casually, Rin almost missed how loaded those words were. She unwillingly glanced up and instantly regretted it. The gleam in his amber eyes almost made them appear golden, piercing through her composure like any bullet would. She could see his thoughts clearly and feared he could do the same.

"Oh, look at that! Has our handsome landlord graced us with his presence?" The moment Siyu returned with a bright smile on her face, the atmosphere seemed to change accordingly. Tension disappeared from the very air Rin breathed. Yuuma's attention was drawn away and there was a change in his expression – his smile seemed more youthful now. Rin wasn't focused on their conversation, taking a moment to rub her arm to ease the goosebumps that had scattered their way across her skin. Then suddenly, a squeak of pure delight filled the air.

"No way!" Siyu gasped. "I thought the opening night was exclusive to premium members!" She held a strip of red paper above her head and celebrated with a happy twirl on her tippy-toes. "I can't believe this!" She flung her arms around his neck. "You're seriously the best, Yuuma!"

"Anything for you two," he laughed as he patted her head.

This made Rin, who had been making a slow exit towards the kitchen, pause in her tracks.

"Expect a late night," he said as he directed Siyu's hand towards his chest. "But at least we don't have to wake up bright and early the next morning," the charming smile he sent in Rin's direction was so bright, it was glaring.

That was when Siyu glanced over to Rin as well. "Oh, you found the lunch boxes!" she clapped her hands together happily. When she reached for them, Rin reluctantly handed over her exit strategy.

"Great. I'm going to fill these up now. Thank you so much for everything, Rin! And Yuuma, don't go anywhere now! I want to know everything about our plans tomorrow!" the girl exclaimed.

"You know the way to my room," their landlord waved her off.

Siyu giggled shyly. Her golden locks bounced lightly with every skip in her step, moving towards the kitchen. She seemed so exhilarated that Rin was conscious of her own lukewarm response.

"Here's yours, princess."

He placed the red ticket, face-up, on the table. "Thank you," she reached for it with a stretch of her lips. "I'm surprised we actually get to see Anon and Kanon's first performance."

"They'll be just as surprised, I'm sure," Yuuma told her. "Now, head on up to bed, it's getting late. You need your energy for tomorrow, so I'll bother Siyu with the boring details. Just go straight home after work and she'll fill you in." He surprised her by backing off completely, heading back to the couch to lift up his hooded vest. He rummaged through its pockets, before pulling out a pack of cigarettes. "And maybe don't avoid me next time. You'd get enough time to ask for a day off."

As he opened the pack to count the left-over cigarettes, Rin couldn't help but have this prickling feeling that she was the one in the wrong. That, even now, she couldn't acknowledge this act of consideration without digging her heels into the sand, because she's been busy looking for faults.

"Besides… rent is almost due, right?" Seemingly satisfied, he leaned against the backside of the couch. "Just in case something changes, I wouldn't want to have you on the brink of exhaustion."

In all honesty, Rin didn't know how the lead in her shoes carried her all the way up to the attic. And while she didn't remember responding, she remembered to set her padlock in place before collapsing in front of the windowsill. There, her shaking hands grabbed hold of the flimsy curtains that kept no daylight away. But as blue eyes looked hopefully at the sky, there was nothing there to comfort her. No stars were in sight and it was too dark to see any clouds. And she pressed her head against the glass when she remembered this exact pitch-black sight. Just like the shimmer of starlight absent from the sky, so had been the silver shine of that key, missing from his neck.


End file.
